Growing up, when my sister and I would ask my mom what she wanted for Christmas or her birthday, she would often reply “two obedient children.” This seemed strange to me, until I became a parent. Even when I was younger, I could see how obedient kids could make my mom’s parenting job easier; what I didn’t understand as clearly was that when I joyfully heeded her instructions, I also demonstrated my love for her. Additionally, my obedience implicitly recognized that the rules my parents had given me were not arbitrary; following their rules showed that, at least at some level, I realized that the rules were given to me out of love. They desired God’s best for me, and so they provided me constraints and instructions that they believed would set me on that path.
This same interplay between instructions and affection are seen in the rules that God gives to His kids. Going back as far as Creation, God told Adam and Eve what to do (and what not to do) out of love for them. When He provided His chosen nation, the Israelites, with the 10 Commandments, it was because He cared for them, and desired that their lives would be an example to the other nations of lives well lived; lives characterized by blessings and obedience to God. When the Israelites were faithful to do as God commanded, they displayed their love for Him, just as the obedience of His children today does the same thing. The Bible makes it clear – God is love. Therefore, His instructions for our lives are outworkings of Who He is – of love personified. And when we do as He has commanded, this is the very best way, the most demonstrative and most clearly evidentiary way, to show our love for Him.
What can get confusing is that sometimes people think God loves us because of our obedience to His rules as if the degree to which we follow His instructions is the determinant of His love for us. However, as a sermon I recently heard pointed out, God had already redeemed the Israelites from Egyptian slavery (Ex 12) before He gave them the codification of His rules (The Ten Commandments; Ex 20). Similarly, Romans 5:8 states that Christ died for us while we were His enemies; even while we lived in opposition to His ways, He took on the penalty for our sins. Our obedience doesn’t determine whether we are righteous before God; that is solely done by the work of Christ through His death and resurrection. However, those who have repented and put their faith in God will love Him, and because of this love will inherently desire to do that which pleases Him; namely to follow His instructions. To many, law and love may seem antithetical. To others, the relationship between God’s law and His love may seem convoluted. But let us never think that God’s rules are separate from His love; instead, let us recognize that they are an expression of it. And let us never think that our obedience is what makes us God’s kid but let us recognize that when a son or daughter of the King does what He says, they are showing their love for their gracious Heavenly Father.
